The door of the room closed behind David.
The silence was immediate.
Lucia remained motionless on the hospital bed.
She still couldn't believe what had just happened.
The man who should have loved his children had agreed to disappear from their lives in exchange for money.
He didn't even ask how they were.
He didn't even want to meet them.
It broke her heart.
Not for herself.
But for the little ones who would someday grow up without knowing who their father really was.
Tears began to slide down her cheeks.
Adrian watched her in silence.
He didn't know what to say.
No words could mend a wound like that.
Finally, he came over and handed her a tissue.
"I'm sorry."
He murmured.
Lucia wiped her tears.
"Don't be sorry."
"The one who should feel ashamed is him."
Adrian nodded.
For the first time since they had met, Lucia felt she wasn't alone.
And that meant more than she could explain.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
A smiling nurse appeared.
She carried a folder in her hands.
"Sorry to interrupt."
"We need to complete some documents for the babies."
Lucia sat up immediately.
"My babies?"
The nurse nodded.
"Yes. It's time to officially register their names."
Lucia's heart began to beat faster.
For months she had imagined this moment.
She had talked to them while they grew inside her.
She had thought about each name.
Every detail.
And now the day had finally arrived.
The nurse opened the folder.
"Let's begin."
Lucia smiled.
"The first one will be called Mateo."
The nurse wrote it down.
"Beautiful name."
"And the second?"
"Gabriel."
The nurse wrote again.
"The third?"
Lucia felt her eyes fill with tears.
"Sofia."
"And the fourth baby."
Lucia's smile grew even bigger.
"Valentina."
The nurse finished writing everything down.
Then she looked up.
"Perfect."
"Now I need the full names."
Lucia looked at Adrian.
He didn't understand that look.
"Mateo Valcarcel Santamaria."
The nurse wrote.
Adrian blinked.
Surprised.
"Gabriel Valcarcel Santamaria."
The nurse continued.
Adrian's heart began to race.
"Sofia Valcarcel Santamaria."
The woman kept writing.
Lucia smiled softly.
"And Valentina Valcarcel Santamaria."
Silence filled the room.
The nurse finished the registrations.
"Very well."
"The documents will be ready this afternoon."
When she left the room, Adrian remained motionless.
As if he were still processing what he had just heard.
Finally, he spoke.
"Lucia..."
She looked up.
"Yes?"
"Why did you give them my last name?"
The young woman lowered her gaze for a few seconds.
Then she looked at him again.
"Because you were here."
Adrian was silent.
"When I was abandoned."
"When I had no one."
"When I thought my children might die."
Tears returned to Lucia's eyes.
"You were the only person who stayed."
Adrian felt something strange in his chest.
Something warm.
Something he had never felt before.
"Lucia..."
"No."
"Let me finish."
She took a deep breath.
"Those children are alive because of you."
"And even though they don't share your blood..."
"you're the first person who protected them."
"That's why I want them to carry your last name."
The silence became profound.
Emotional.
Adrian watched that woman for several seconds.
For the first time in a long while, he couldn't find words.
Because no one had ever done something like that for him.
Never.
Lucia smiled.
"Besides..."
"I think Mateo, Gabriel, Sofia, and Valentina will be proud to carry it."
Adrian looked down.
Trying to hide his emotion.
But it was impossible.
Those words had touched a part of him he believed didn't exist.
Then a nurse appeared again.
"If you'd like to see the babies, you can do so now."
Lucia got up immediately.
And a few minutes later, they both arrived at the neonatal unit.
The four little ones rested inside their incubators.
Tiny.
Fragile.
Beautiful.
Lucia stepped up to the glass.
"Hello, my loves."
She whispered.
"Mommy has already given you names."
Tears appeared once more.
"Mateo."
"Gabriel."
"Sofia."
"Valentina."
For the first time, those babies had identities.
They had names.
They had a future.
And while she watched the little ones, Adrian remained at her side.
Without realizing that with every minute he spent beside them...
he was beginning to feel more like family.
And that was only the beginning.
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